Vehicle Relay Device Parallel Data Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing relay devices for vehicle network systems face inefficiencies in updating programs for in-vehicle devices, requiring large storage areas and prolonged time due to sequential data transmission and storage processes.
Innovation Solution
A relay device and external device configuration that allows for parallel data transmission and conversion of program updates across multiple in-vehicle communication buses via an external communication bus, reducing storage needs and transmission time by dividing data into predetermined units and using time-division multiplexing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the relay device stores each update program for each in-vehicle device in an internal storage device, then the update program can be temporarily held, but storage costs increase due to the need for many storage areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the storage function from the relay device to the external device. The external device stores all update programs in its own storage unit, and the relay device only temporarily holds data during transmission. This eliminates the need for the relay device to have multiple storage areas for different update programs, reducing storage costs while maintaining update reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a data buffer as an intermediary component in the relay device. This buffer temporarily holds data packets during transmission without requiring permanent storage areas. The buffer acts as a mediator between the external device and in-vehicle devices, allowing data to be forwarded quickly without occupying substantial storage space in the relay device.
2Reliability
If the relay device receives and stores update programs sequentially before transmitting them, then data integrity is maintained, but the total required time equals or exceeds the sum of respective process times
Solution Approach 1:
The external device performs preliminary actions by dividing update programs into multiple data packets and preparing them for transmission in advance. The relay device receives these pre-divided packets and forwards them immediately without needing to store complete programs before transmission. This preliminary segmentation enables parallel processing and reduces total update time while maintaining data integrity through proper packet reassembly at the destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous data transmission where the relay device forwards data packets as they are received, without interrupting the transmission flow to store complete programs first. The external device continuously sends data packets, and the relay device continuously forwards them to the appropriate in-vehicle devices. This continuous action eliminates idle time between reception and transmission, reducing total update time while maintaining reliability through sequential packet forwarding.
3Device complexity
If the relay device transmits update programs one by one to each in-vehicle device, then data transmission is simple, but efficiency decreases and update time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments update programs into multiple small data packets that can be transmitted in parallel to different in-vehicle devices simultaneously. The external device divides each update program into data packets with identification information, and the relay device distributes these packets to multiple devices at once. This segmentation transforms the transmission process from sequential to parallel, dramatically improving update efficiency while maintaining manageable complexity through systematic packet routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a time-division multiplexing dimension to the data transmission process. Multiple data streams for different in-vehicle devices are transmitted over the same communication channel by dividing time into slots, allowing parallel transmission without interference. This dimensional approach enables the relay device to handle multiple update operations simultaneously, improving productivity from linear to parallel processing while keeping the transmission mechanism relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
The relay device transmits data for writing or updating a program received from the external communication bus to an in-vehicle communication bus, which is the transfer destination, in order of reception of the data. A storage area for temporary storage can be smaller and costs can be reduced, as compared with a case where the data is stored until all data is prepared for each of in-vehicle devices. Further, the required time can be reduced as compared with a case where all data is received for each of the in-vehicle devices and then transmitted to the in-vehicle devices. The external device transmits data addressed to the in-vehicle devices to the relay device in parallel.